psalm 19 chiastic structure

Read Psalm 19 at Bible Gateway.

Psa 19 Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Psa 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork;
Psa 19:2, Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge;
Psa 19:3, There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard;
Psa 19:4a, Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world; {n}
Psa 19:4b, In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun;
Psa 19:5, Like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, rejoicing like a strong man to run its race;
Psa 19:6, Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end, and there is nothing hidden from its heat;
Psa 19:7, Law of YHVH perfect, converting /soul + testimony of YHVH sure, making wise /simple;
Psa 19:8, Statutes of YHVH are right, rejoicing /heart + commandment of YHVH is pure, enlightening /eyes;
Psa 19:9, Fear of YHVH is clean, enduring forever + judgments of YHVH /true, righteous altogether;
Psa 19:10, More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;
Psa 19:11, Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward;
Psa 19:12, Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults;
Psa 19:13a, Keep me back also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me; {n}
Psa 19:13b, Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression;
Psa 19:14a, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight; {n}
Psa 19:14b, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. {p}

Psa 19 chiastic structure:

1a) Psa 19:1, The testimony of heaven: it glorifies God;

1b) Psa 19:2-6, Their witness is obvious to all + cannot be hidden;

1.1) Psa 19:2, Their speech + knowledge is from day to day and night to night;
2.1) Psa 19:3-4a {n} Their voice is heard in every language/ their words reach the end of the world;
1.2) Psa 19:4b-6a, The sun makes its circuit from one end of heaven to the other end;
2.2) Psa 19:6b, There is nothing hidden from its heat;

central axis) Psa 19:7-11a, The Torah of YHVH is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true, desirable, sweet;

2b) Psa 19:11b-13, My witness is in keeping Your word;

1a) Psa 19:11b, By them Your servant is warned + in keeping them there is great reward;
1b) Psa 19:12a, Who can understand his errors?
1c) Psa 19:12b, Cleanse me from secret faults;
2c) Psa 19:13a, Keep me back from presumptuous sins;
2b) Psa 19:13b, Let them not have dominion over me;
2a) Psa 19:13b, Then I shall be blameless + innocent of great transgression;

2a) Psa 19:14 {p} Let my testimony (mouth + heart) likewise be acceptable {n} YHVH my strength + Redeemer.

Notice that the psalm is roughly divided in half. The first half, vs. 1-6, describes the excellence of the LORD’s works. The second half, vs. 7-14, describes the excellence of the LORD’s words. They are both speaking the same message: the LORD God is great and glorious, let the earth and all its inhabitants stand in awe of Him!

It is perhaps from this passage of Scripture that Francis Bacon, the father of the scientific method, was inspired to write:

“Let no man … think or maintain that a man can search too far, or be too well studied in the book of God’s word, or the book of God’s works, divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavor an endless progress or proficience in both.” The Advancement of Learning, 1605.